Building Science-to-Sales Translator

Filtration = High-Capture Filtration Technology

Technical Description

With most furnace and air conditioner systems, indoor air is continually recirculated, distributing and redistributing dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander and other indoor air contaminants. Filters installed at the furnace or return air registers can trap some of these contaminants, thus helping to clean the indoor air. Air filter efficiency is defined in MERVs. MERV stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value.” A typical 1-inch-thick spunfiberglass furnace filter has a rating of 1 to 4 on the MERV scale and can trap particles like sawdust, carpet fibers, dust mites, and pollen. ENERGY STAR Certified Homes requires filters to be at least MERV 6; these filters can clean the air of most cement dust, mold spores, animal dander, and hair spray. DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home program requires that filters be at least MERV 8; these filters can capture nearly all of the 3- 10-micron particles. Even higher MERV levels are available. HEPA filters with MERV ratings from 17 to 20 can filter out particles smaller than 0.3 microns, including viruses. Higher MERV filters restrict airflow so builders and HVAC contractors wishing to install them must carefully size the ducts and filter box to allow for thicker or wider filters, which will allow for more air flow.

High-Capture Filtration Technology
Sales Message

High-capture filtration technology remove dangerous particles from the comfort system air stream. What this means to you is your family can breathe better every day knowing your home is equipped to help manage a critical respiratory contaminant. Wouldn’t you agree protecting health is too important to ignore in new homes?

Disclaimer

This content is a work created with funding provided by the United States Department of Energy under Contract no DE-AC05-076RL01830 for the operation of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The information and guidance provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the content are intended solely for educational purposes only and do not constitute formal training or certification. It is provided with the explicit understanding that neither the United States Government nor the United States Department of Energy, nor the Contractor, nor any or their employees, nor any jurisdiction or organization that has cooperated in the development of these materials, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness or any information, apparatus, product, software, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Viewers assumes full responsibility for all actions that they may take from information provided in this content including ensuring the safety, code compliance, and proper functionality of any products they choose to install. Installation and use of such products should be performed in accordance with local regulations and manufacturer instructions.